PRO BASKETBALL

PRO BASKETBALL; Morris's Parting Shot Is a Winner

By MIKE WISE

Published: April 24, 1995

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., April 23—
From the beginning, Chris Morris wanted out. In the end, he finally put it in.

Perhaps the most turbulent season in franchise history -- or was it maybe just in the top 20? -- came to the kind of conclusion one has come to expect from the Nets tonight. The guy with the longest tenure and droopiest eyes delivered the unthinkable parting shot at Byrne Meadowlands Arena.

Morris, who said he wanted to be traded the first day of training camp in October, leaped high off the floor in a pair of laced-up sneakers that read "It's Time" on the right foot and "To Say Goodbye" on the left foot.

He caught an alley-oop pass thrown to him from midcourt by P. J. Brown and softly dropped it in with the Boston Celtics' reserve guard Greg Minor hanging on him.

Fouled, he made the free throw with 5.9 seconds left, and the Nets buckled down defensively and won their final game of the season, 102-99, before a crowd of 18,404.

Just like that, the circus left town.

"It is kind of funny, with everything that he's said and everything that he's done," Brown said. "For Chris Morris to win the game, what would you call that?"

"Irony," someone answered. How perfect. The Nets won their 30th game against 52 losses with a play they have run several times this season without success.

The Celtics finished 35-47 and lost their third straight game as they head into the first round of the playoffs against Orlando on Friday. Sherman Douglas finished with 25 points to lead them, hitting the game-tying shot -- a running jumper over Morris with 6.8 seconds left.

"Hey, guys," said Boston Coach Chris Ford in the locker room afterward, addressing the team about his plans for practice, "we're going to be spending a lot of hours at Brandeis this week and we're ordering out for food."

The reserve Nets center Jayson Williams was talking sun and sand. "The Bahamas, baby," he said.

Sean Higgins wanted to expound on the art of hooking a small-mouth bass on a lake in San Antonio.

Coach Butch Beard smiled and wished everyone well.

"It's a good day, a very good day," Beard said before the game, sounding relieved as he prepared to take the court for the final time this season.

There is no telling how long his sentence will be commuted, how much longer he must coach this group of vagabonds as they continue searching for chemistry, talent and the occasional victory.

Only the Golden State Warriors managed to contest the Nets for the league's Dark Side Award this season. The Nets, who lost more than 50 games for the first time in four seasons, had the second-worst collapse in the league from last season, when they won 45 games under Chuck Daly. The Warriors fell from 50 victories to 26.

Armon Gilliam led the Nets tonight with 28 points and 14 rebounds. Kenny Anderson did not play the entire fourth quarter because of a sore back. Derrick Coleman, who sat out the last 10 games of the season because of a sprained left wrist, showed up before the game and left before it was over.

That left Morris, who embodied their enigmatic behavior, to make the game-winning shot after playing only 15 minutes.

He celebrated in true Morris fashion, taking in the surroundings one last time.

"It's not a big deal," he said. "It would have been, but I only got three or four shots the whole game."

Morris actually took the tape off his sore thumb in the fourth quarter, thinking he would not return when Beard summoned him into the game. Beard is the same man who fined him $1,000 earlier this season after Morris failed to tie his shoes in practice. Another Morris lowlight from this season: referring to Net ownership's contract strategy as "Dumb and Dumber."

"It is a little ironic after everything that's happened with him," Beard said. He laughed. He shook his head. He smiled.

Say goodbye to these Nets: Morris, Dwayne Schintzius, Sleepy Floyd, Rick Mahorn -- free agents who will either sign with another team or move on to another line of work. Others are likely to leave through the expansion draft.

They clean out their lockers Monday morning. All that is left is to fold up the tents, pay the lion tamers and hire some new performers.

Eighty-two games later, say goodbye to the Goofiest Show on Earth. REBOUNDS

The Nets' owners have scheduled their annual stockholders meeting for Monday afternoon at the club's East Rutherford, N.J., offices. No decisions are expected regarding the status of General Manager WILLIS REED or Coach BUTCH BEARD.

Photo: Nets' Chris Morris caught an alley-oop pass from P. J. Brown before hitting the winning basket over the Celtics' Greg Minor last night. (Michelle V. Agins/The New York Times)